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Whether you own a business or home, keeping it safe is critical. But sometimes even the most vigilant safety measures aren't enough to keep out intruders. I own a small food store in my neighborhood. I didn't use a security system or camera to monitor my store. Instead, I relied on my employees and other businesses to keep an eye out for crime. But one night after closing time, someone broke into my store and stole money and many other items. Because I didn't have a security camera or alarm in place, the police couldn't take immediate action to apprehend the thief. I learned a valuable lesson that night. I took action and had a security system installed on the premises. It was the best decision I ever made. My blog offers tips on how to keep your company or home safe. Remember, safety should always be first.

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Strategies For Effectively Investigating A Conflicting Situation While On Patrol

The disagreements that you encounter on your regular patrols while working as a security guard through a place like Bolt Security Guard aren't always going to be clear. Whether you're dealing with what appears to be an assault, a shoplifter who is denying the accusations, or another similar type of issue, you'll commonly have two distinct sides to the story. As the authoritative presence on the scene, it's up to you to separate fact from fiction to thoroughly complete your investigation while the involved parties are still on the scene. Here are some effective techniques that you can use when you're dealing with conflicting accounts of what happened.

Gather Any Witnesses

One of your first priorities when you have competing versions of what happened is to gather any witnesses who were on the scene. Do your best to find neutral witnesses who have no connection to either person involved in the issue, as they'll be more apt to simply say what they saw without slanting the story to suit one side. For example, if two people are in a fight and you ask one person's friend about what happened, he may say that the other person assaulted his friend. Conversely, when you find an independent witness, you'll likely be able to get closer to the truth.

Separate People Who Are Helping

Once you've gathered people who can lend assistance by providing you with their account of what happened or people have come forward wanting to help, it's important to separate them quickly. When people are together, they can begin to discuss what they saw or what they think they saw — and some people may feel influenced by another's version of the event, and change the story in their mind. This will result in you getting information that may not be perfectly accurate, which will be a hindrance to your investigation.

Look For Surveillance Footage

Surveillance footage is a true asset when you work as a security guard. The accounts of those involved in a situation and even those who witnessed it may be subjective, but being able to watch the scene unfold when captured by a security camera will remove all doubt. Figure out exactly where the incident took place and the survey the scene for cameras. If the incident took place in a store or in a mall, for example, there should be multiple security cameras that may have caught some or all of the incident.